Wireless coiled tubing joint locator

Abstract

A wireless coiled tubing joint locator for locating joints or collars in a production tubing string. The joint locator is adapted for running into a well on coiled tubing, and other downhole tools may be connectable to the joint locator. An electromagnetic coil assembly senses the increased mass of a pipe joint, and provides a signal to an electric circuit which generates a momentary electric output signal received by a pilot solenoid valve. The solenoid valve momentarily opens a pilot passageway which activates a piston to close a circulation port in the joint locator. This closing of the circulation point results in an increase in a surface pressure reading observable by the operator. A rupture disk is provided so that pressure cannot be applied to any downhole tool below the joint locator prematurely, and a seat sleeve is provided to prevent premature communication of fluid to the rupture disk but can be opened at any time by dropping a ball into the joint locator. The electronic circuit can be configured to provide a selected one of a plurality of time delays. A fixed test period is also provided in the circuit which delays activation of the time delay so that the joint locator may be tested before it is run into the well. The electric circuit and power supply are provided in a removable case for easy replacement and reconfiguration.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A well pipe string joint locator for use in a pipe string, said locator comprising: 
       a housing having an upper end adapted for connection to a length of coiled tubing whereby the locator may be moved within the pipe string in response to movement of the coiled tubing, said housing defining a central opening therethrough and a transverse circulation port in communication with said central opening;  
       a valve disposed in said housing for momentarily opening and closing said circulation port in response to a pressure differential between the coiled tubing and a well annulus outside said circulation port; and  
       an electronic means disposed in said housing for detecting an increased mass of a pipe joint and generating a momentary electric output signal in response thereto and placing said valve in communication with the pressure in the coiled tubing in response to said signal such that said pressure differential is momentarily applied to said valve.  
     
     
       2. The locator of claim  1  wherein said electronic means comprises a pilot solenoid which opens in response to said signal and thereby places said valve in communication with the pressure in the coiled tubing. 
     
     
       3. The locator of claim  2  wherein said housing defines: 
       a pilot passageway therein in communication with an upper portion of said valve; and  
       an annulus port in communication with a lower portion of said valve;  
       wherein, said solenoid is adapted to open said pilot passageway in response to said signal.  
     
     
       4. The locator of claim  2  wherein said solenoid is spaced from a longitudinal axis of said housing. 
     
     
       5. The locator of claim  2  further comprising: 
       a power supply for providing power to said pilot solenoid; and  
       a time delay circuit for preventing power from being communicated from said power supply to said solenoid valve until after a preselected time delay.  
     
     
       6. The locator of claim  1  wherein said electronic means comprises: 
       an electromagnetic coil and magnet for electromagnetically sensing the increased mass of the pipe joint.  
     
     
       7. The locator of claim  6  wherein said electronic means further comprises: 
       an electric power source; and  
       an electric circuit means for generating said signal when said coil electromagnetically senses said increased mass.  
     
     
       8. The locator of claim  7  further comprising: 
       an electric case in which said power source and electric circuit means are disposed, said case being removable from said housing.  
     
     
       9. The locator of claim  8  wherein said case is threadingly connected to an upper end of said housing. 
     
     
       10. The locator of claim  1  further comprising: 
       pressure isolation means for preventing premature communication between the pressure in the coiled tubing and a bottom portion of said housing below said communication port.  
     
     
       11. The locator of claim  10  wherein in said pressure isolation means comprises a rupture disk. 
     
     
       12. The locator of claim  10  wherein said pressure isolation means comprises: 
       a valve having a seat thereon and a flow passageway therethrough, said valve having a closed position wherein flow through said passageway is prevented and an open position wherein flow through said passageway is allowed; and  
       a ball engagable with said seat such that fluid communication through said circulation port is prevented and when a predetermined pressure is applied to said valve and ball, said valve is moved from said closed position to said open position thereof.  
     
     
       13. The locator of claim  12  wherein said pressure isolation means further comprises a rupture disk disposed below said valve. 
     
     
       14. The locator of claim  1  wherein said circulation port is defined in a nozzle removably positioned in said housing. 
     
     
       15. The locator of claim  14  wherein said nozzle is one of a plurality of interchangeable nozzles having differently sized circulation ports therein. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus for locating joints in a well pipe string comprising: 
       a housing having an upper end connectable to a length of coiled tubing and defining a central opening therethrough and a transverse circulation port in communication with said central opening;  
       an electronic assembly disposed in said housing and comprising:  
       a sensing means for detecting an increased mass of a pipe joint; and  
       an electric module comprising:  
       a power source;  
       an electric circuit connected to said power source and to said sensing means, said electric circuit generating a momentary electric output signal in response to the detection of said increased mass by said sensing means; and  
       a case for receiving said power source and electric circuit therein, said case being co-axial and concentric with said hosting and releasably attachable thereto such that said electric module is removable as an integral unit from said housing; and  
       valve means disposed in said housing for momentarily opening or closing said circulation port in response to said electric output signal and to a pressure differential between the coiled tubing and a well annulus outside said circulation port.  
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim  16  wherein: 
       said case defines a first cavity for receiving said power source therein and a second cavity for receiving said circuit therein.  
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim  16  wherein said valve means comprises: 
       a valve having a piston portion movable in response to a pressure differential between said central opening of said housing and a well annulus defined outside said circulation port; and  
       a solenoid adapted for activation in response to said electric output signal and thereby placing said valve in communication with pressure in said central opening of said housing.  
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim  18  further comprising biasing means to return said valve to the original position thereof after said solenoid is deactivated. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim  18  wherein: 
       said housing defines a pilot passageway therein in communication with a first portion of said piston portion of said valve and defines an annulus port in communication with a second portion of said piston portion; and  
       said solenoid is a pilot solenoid adapted for opening said pilot passageway in response to said electric output signal.  
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim  18  wherein said electric circuit comprises time delay means for preventing supply of power from said power source to said solenoid before a predetermined time delay has elapsed. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim  16  wherein said sensing means comprises: 
       an electromagnetic coil and magnet for electromagnetically sensing the increased mass of a pipe joint.  
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim  16  further comprising: 
       pressure isolation means for preventing premature communication between the pressure in the coiled tubing and any tool positioned below the apparatus.  
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim  23  wherein said pressure isolation means comprises a rupture disk. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim  23  wherein said pressure isolation means comprises: 
       a valve having a seat thereon and a flow passageway therethrough, said valve having a closed position wherein flow through said passageway is prevented and an open position wherein flow through said passageway is allowed; and  
       a ball engagable with said seat such that fluid communication through said circulation port is prevented, and when a predetermined pressure is applied to said valve and ball, said valve is moved from said closed position to said open position thereof.  
     
     
       26. The apparatus of claim  25  wherein said pressure isolation means further comprises a rupture disk disposed below said valve. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim  16  wherein said circulation port is defined in a nozzle removably disposed in said housing. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of claim  27  wherein said nozzle is one of a plurality of interchangeable nozzles having different sizes of circulation ports defined therein. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus for locating joints in a well pipe string comprising: 
       a housing having an upper end connectable to a length of coiled tubing and defining a central opening therethrough and a transverse circulation port in communication with said central opening;  
       valve means disposed in said housing for momentarily opening and closing said circulation port in response to an electric output signal;  
       an electronic means disposed in said housing for detecting an increased mass of a pipe joint and momentarily generating said electric output signal in response thereto and placing said valve means in communication with the pressure in the coiled tubing in response to said signal; and  
       pressure isolation means for preventing premature communication between the pressure in the coiled tubing and any tool positioned below the apparatus.  
     
     
       30. The apparatus of claim  29  wherein said pressure isolation means comprises a rupture disk. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of claim  29  wherein: 
       said valve is adapted to open or close in response to a pressure differential between the coiled tubing and a well annulus outside said circulation port; and  
       said electronic means comprises a pilot solenoid which opens in response to said signal and thereby places said valve in communication with the pressure in the coiled tubing.  
     
     
       32. The apparatus of claim  31  wherein said housing defines: 
       a pilot passageway therein in communication with an upper portion of said valve; and  
       an annulus port in communication with a lower portion of said valve;  
       wherein, said solenoid is adapted to open said pilot passageway in response to said signal.  
     
     
       33. The apparatus of claim  31  wherein said electronic means further comprises: 
       a power supply for supplying power to said pilot solenoid; and  
       time delay means for preventing communication of power from said power supply to said pilot solenoid prior to a predetermined time delay.  
     
     
       34. The apparatus of claim  33  wherein said time delay means includes a test time period allowing communication of power from said power supply to said pilot solenoid prior to initiation of said predetermined time delay. 
     
     
       35. The apparatus of claim  29  wherein said electronic means comprises: 
       an electromagnetic coil and magnet for electromagnetically sensing the increased mass of a pipe joint.  
     
     
       36. The apparatus of claim  35  wherein said electronic means further comprises: 
       an electric power source; and  
       an electric circuit means for generating said signal when said coil electromagnetically senses said increased mass.  
     
     
       37. The apparatus of claim  36  further comprising: 
       an electric case in which said power source and said electric circuit means are disposed, said case being removable from said housing.  
     
     
       38. The apparatus of claim  37  wherein said case is threadingly connected to an upper end of said housing. 
     
     
       39. The apparatus of claim  29  wherein said circulation port is defined in a nozzle which is replaceably disposed in said housing. 
     
     
       40. The apparatus of claim  39  wherein said nozzle is one of a plurality of interchangeable nozzles, each of said nozzles having a differently sized circulation port therein. 
     
     
       41. A well pipe string joint locator for use in a pipe string, said locator comprising: 
       a housing having an upper end adapted for connection to a length of coiled tubing whereby the locator may be moved within the pipe string in response to movement of the coiled tubing, said housing defining a central opening therethrough and a transverse circulation port in communication with said central opening;  
       a valve disposed in said housing for momentarily opening and closing said circulation port in response to a pressure differential between the coiled tubing and a well annulus outside said circulation port;  
       an electronic means disposed in said housing for detecting an increased mass of a pipe joint and generating a momentary electric output signal in response thereto, said electronic means comprising a pilot solenoid which opens in response to said signal and thereby places said valve in communication with the pressure in the coiled tubing;  
       a power supply for providing power to said pilot solenoid; and  
       a time delay circuit for preventing power from being communicated from said power supply to said solenoid until after a preselected time delay, said time delay circuit providing a test time period for allowing testing of the joint locator prior to initiation of said time delay.  
     
     
       42. The locator of claim  41  wherein said valve further comprises shear means for initially shearably holding said seat sleeve in said closed position thereof. 
     
     
       43. A well pipe string joint locator for use in a pipe string, said locator comprising: 
       a housing having an upper end adapted for connection to a length of coiled tubing whereby the locator may be moved within the pipe string in response to movement of the coiled tubing, said housing defining a central opening therethrough and a traverse circulation port in communication with said central opening;  
       a valve disposed in said housing for momentarily opening and closing said circulation port in response to a pressure differential between the coiled tubing and a well annulus outside the circulation port;  
       an electronic means disposed in said housing for detecting an increased mass of a pipe joint and generating a momentary electric output signal in response thereto and placing said valve in said housing in communication with the pressure in the coiled tubing in response to said signal; and  
       pressure isolation means for preventing premature communication between the pressure in the coiled tubing and a bottom portion of said housing below said communication port, said pressure isolation means comprising:  
       a valve having a seat thereon and a flow passageway therethrough, said valve in said pressure isolation means having a closed portion wherein flow through said passageway is prevented and an open position wherein flow through said passageway is allowed, said valve comprising:  
       a seat body fixedly disposed in said housing and forming a lower portion of said flow passageway; and  
       a seat sleeve slidably disposed in said seat body and forming an upper portion of said flow passageway, said upper portion of said flow passageway being in communication with said lower portion of said flow passageway when said valve in said pressure isolation means is in said open position thereof; and  
       a ball engagable with said seat such that fluid communication through said circulation port is prevented and when a predetermined pressure is applied to said valve in said pressure isolation means and said ball, said valve in said pressure isolation means is moved from said closed position to said open position thereof.  
     
     
       44. An apparatus for locating joints in a well pipe string comprising: 
       a housing having an upper end connectable to a length of coiled tubing and defining a central opening therethrough and a transverse circulation port in communication with said central opening;  
       an electronic assembly disposed in said housing and comprising:  
       a sensing means for detecting an increased mass of a pipe joint; and  
       an electric module comprising a power source and an electric circuit connected thereto and to said sensing means, said electric circuit generating a momentary electric output signal in response to the detection of said increased mass by said sensing means, said electric module being removable as an integral unit from said housing, and said electric module comprising a case defining a first cavity for receiving said power source therein and a second cavity for receiving said electric circuit therein, said case being releasably attachable to said housing; valve means disposed in said housing for momentarily opening or closing said circulation port in response to said electric output signal; and  
       a tube disposed in said housing and extending through said case and forming a portion of a fluid passageway through said housing, said fluid passageway being in communication with said circulation port when said valve means is open.  
     
     
       45. An apparatus for locating joints in a well pipe string comprising: 
       a housing having an upper end connectable to a length of coiled tubing and defining a central opening therethrough and a transverse circulation port in communication with said central opening;  
       valve means disposed in said housing for momentarily opening or closing said circulation port, said valve means comprising:  
       a valve having a piston portion movable in response to a pressure differential between said central opening of said housing and a well annulus defined outside said circulation port; and  
       a solenoid adapted for activation in response to an electric output signal and thereby placing said valve in communication with pressure in said central opening of said housing; and an electronic assembly disposed in said housing and comprising:  
       a sensing means for detecting an increased mass of a pipe joint;  
       an electric module comprising a power source and an electric circuit connected thereto and to said sensing means, said electric circuit generating a momentary electric output signal in response to the detection of said increased mass by said sensing means, said electric module being removable as an integral unit from said housing; and  
       time delay means for preventing supply of power from said power source to said solenoid before a predetermined time delay has elapsed, said time delay means also providing a test time period to allow supply of power from said power source to said solenoid before said time delay has been initiated.  
     
     
       46. An apparatus for locating joints in a well pipe string comprising: 
       a housing having an upper end connectable to a length of coiled tubing and defining a central opening therethrough and a transverse circulation port in communication with said central opening;  
       an electronic assembly disposed in said housing and comprising:  
       a sensing means for detecting an increased mass of a pipe joint; and  
       an electric module comprising a power source and an electric circuit connected thereto and to said sensing means, said electric circuit generating a momentary electric output signal in response to the detection of said increased mass by said sensing means, said electric module being removable as an integral unit from said housing;  
       valve means disposed in said housing for momentarily opening or closing said circulation port in response to said electric output signal; and  
       pressure isolation means for preventing premature communicating between the pressure in the coiled tubing and any tool positioned below the apparatus, said pressure isolation means comprising:  
       a valve having a seat thereon and a flow passageway therethrough, said valve in said pressure isolation means having a closed position wherein flow through said passageway is prevented and an open position wherein flow through said passageway is allowed, said valve in said pressure isolation means comprising:  
       a seat body fixedly disposed in said housing and forming a lower portion of said flow passageway, and  
       a seat sleeve slidably disposed in said seat body and forming an upper portion of said flow passageway, said upper portion of said passageway being in communication with said lower portion of said passageway when said valve in said pressure isolation means is in said open position thereof; and  
       a ball engagable with said seat such that fluid communication through said circulation port is prevented, and when a predetermined pressure is applied to said valve in said pressure isolation means and said ball, said valve in said pressure isolation means is moved from said closed position to said open position thereof.  
     
     
       47. The apparatus of claim  46  wherein said valve in said pressure isolation means further comprises shear means for initially shearably holding said seat sleeve in said closed position thereof. 
     
     
       48. An apparatus for locating joints in a well pipe string comprising: 
       a housing having an upper end connectable to a length of coiled tubing and defining a central opening therethrough and a transverse circulation port in communication with said central opening;  
       valve means disposed in said housing for momentarily opening and closing said circulation port in response to an electric output signal;  
       an electronic means disposed in said housing for detecting an increased mass of a pipe joint and generating said electric output signal in response thereto and placing said valve means in communication with the pressure in the coiled tubing in response to said signal; and  
       pressure isolation means for preventing premature communication between the pressure in the coiled tubing and any tool positioned below the apparatus, said pressure isolation means comprising:  
       a valve having a seat thereon and a flow passageway therethrough, said valve in said pressure isolation means having a closed position wherein flow through said passageway is prevented and an open position wherein flow through said passageway is allowed; and  
       a ball engagable with said seat such that fluid communication through said circulation port is prevented and when a predetermined pressure is applied to said valve in said pressure isolation means and ball, said valve is moved from said closed position to said open position thereof.  
     
     
       49. The locator of claim  48  wherein said valve in said pressure isolation means comprises: 
       a seat body fixedly disposed in said housing and forming a lower portion of said flow passageway; and  
       a seat sleeve slidably disposed in said seat body and forming an upper portion of said flow passageway, said upper portion of said flow passageway being in communication with said lower portion of said passageway when said valve in said pressure isolation means is in said open position thereof.  
     
     
       50. The locator of claim  49  wherein said valve in said pressure isolation means further comprises shear means for initially shearably holding said seat sleeve in said closed position thereof. 
     
     
       51. The apparatus of claim  48  wherein said pressure isolation means further comprises a rupture disk disposed below said valve in said pressure isolation means.